About Us

The Mid-State Early Childhood Direction Center (ECDC) is located at Syracuse University, as part of the Center on Human Policy. We receive our funding from the New York State Education Department (NYSED), P12: Office of Special Education. We are part of a network of 14 Early Childhood Direction Centers throughout New York State.

ECDC covers a 6-county region (Cayuga, Cortland, Onondaga, Oswego, Seneca, and Tompkins) where we provide the following services:

Technical assistance and support for the inclusion of young children with special needs in community-based programs.

Information to address questions about early childhood development, behavior, and the early intervention and/or preschool special education process.

Access to up-to-date resources, including state and federal regulations.

Training and workshops, tailored to each individual organization’s needs.

Information on evaluation and eligibility for special education, challenging behaviors, and community services.

Follow-up with families until children are in kindergarten.

Host Agency

For over 35 years, the Mid-State ECDC has been located at Syracuse University within the School of Education’s Center on Human Policy (CHP). It is in this setting that the ECDC functions and provides the philosophical and practical foundation for best practices related to young children with disabilities and their families. Leadership is provided by Dr. Alan Foley, Associate Professor and Program Coordinator of Disability Studies, and Director of the Center on Human Policy.